Author Archives: Astrometrics

Clothing With A Twist

Each day thousands of individuals make efforts to venture into the fashion industry by creating a clothing brand, yet few are able to succeed. On Tiktok, Instagram or even Reddit, I often see people posting their ideas, drafts, or launching their collection for a clothing line. A lot of the people starting their brands have very similar products to the rest of the industry, and many follow suit with current trends. 

 

The clothing brand that I have chosen to showcase today is the opposite of those start-up brands, in the sense that it is unique. CurrieGoat (real name Denzel) is an artist who makes a variety of different types of clothing, accessories, and home products. He does both the creative design and labor for all of his products and it is evident by the quality. Denzel has videos on youtube where he breaks down every step in the creation of his products. He walks through choosing the designs, drawing the design in photoshop, and the detailed process of sewing the product. The result of this hard work is spectacular-looking products that are known to be high quality. Denzel’s visually pleasing patterns and colors are a staple in all of his products, you can see similar patterns re-appear as you scroll through his Instagram page. Another interesting selling point of Denzel’s brand is his range of products. Denzel has made handbags, rugs, hoodies, shoes, and even a table. Lastly, I wanted to showcase one way Denzel is adding new elements to the fashion industry. In one of Denzel’s recent posts, he videos the rug that he made with his phone, then on his phone the rug starts doing an animation. I was blown away by the creative processes of adding augmented reality to fashion. I can only imagine what’s next for Denzel as he continues to break norms in the fashion world. 

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Fashion + 3D printing

I remember being in sixth grade when my teacher told our class about something that blew my mind. She told us that there was a such thing as a 3D printer, where instead of putting ink onto paper, you could print out a real object. My mind was blown, my friends and I then went to Youtube and watched videos of 3D printing being done. I remember thinking,” this can be the solution to so many problems, it’s like being able to create something out of nothing”. However, since the 6th grade, I rarely hear about 3D printing and I nearly forgot that it existed. That’s why seeing the impressive application of the machine, done by young artist “yalocaloffgod” re-ignited that childhood wonder. 

Yalocaloffgod (real name drew) is an artist that I have been following on instagram for a long time due to his unique cartoons of famous rappers. One day however I saw multiple images of him being re-posted on my feed by other pages. His accessories for apple AirPods max had gone viral, and he was getting recognition across his page. 

I too found the idea to be remarkable as it combined technology and fashion into one. I was impressed by the sheer creativity to have that idea and then the bravery to apply it in a functional manner. After the success of his first model, drew released multiple other designs, each more creative than the last, one was even made from lego. Drew also showed the behind-the-scenes of how he made the accessory, showing the 3D model on his computer and the printing of the headphones. 

I think the implication of Drew’s innovation is also of a large magnitude. After seeing these headphone accessories on my page, I saw other people also customizing their headphones in their own style. I think that the world of fashion may have latched onto Drew’s idea, not only of customizing headphones but the style that Drew used as well. Even more so, I think that posts like these may inspire upcoming artists to also implicate 3D modeling and printing into their art creations and in fashion. 

 

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Photography

The first photographer I would like to showcase is @thezairul, a creator from Kula Lumpur Malaysia. The moment I saw one of their posts my attention was captured immediately. The reason for this was because of the seemingly impossible photos that zairul seemed to capture. At frist glance, the photoshop is done so well that the impossible illusions seem real. Each post on zairul’s feed makes you question physics and reality and bring you into a fantasy world that looks so fake yet so real at the same time. Although some of the posts are a little repetitive I think this creative approach to photography as well as a great way to attract new people that may not be into photography. The image of zairul’s that I have attached is one of my favorites from their page. Staring at this photo I feel engrossed in a magical space in my brain. This photo captures how I feel on a late-night drive with my favorite song playing on the speakers. It makes me feel a combination of adventure, mystery, and peace. The amount of detail in the photo is also something that greatly impresses me. The way that the windshield of the BMW is consistent with the background and how the horizon where the road cuts off fits in perfectly are details that show that a lot of hard work has been put into the editing.

The second photographer that I have chosen to display is Kerry Skarbakka who is an artist as well as a professor of photography. This choice was a little more abstract and weird as a little dive into Kerry Skarbakka’s work and you will find some strange photos. Nonetheless, I found his project “the struggle to right oneself” to be something unique and eye-catching. Skrbakka describes his photos as capturing the “sublime metaphorical space where balance has been disrupted and the definitive point-of-no-return has been met.” Skrarbakka shows us visually how it feels to let go during a struggle. He shows that letting yourself go and fail away into nothingness is just as scary as continuing to suffer through whatever is burdening you. My personal interpretation of the photo that I have selected is the sinking feeling of fear. I feel as though Skarbakka has been able to capture that exact moment when your stomach sinks and a shock runs through your body.

The post Photography first appeared on Astrometrics.

Scary But INTRIGUING: Jesse Kanda

This post is one that may stand out for reasons that are different than usual, today we are looking at the work of Jesse Kanda. Jesse Kanda is an artist and musician who was bought up in Canada but is currently situated in London. Jesse has worked with other popular musicians and even provides visuals for the fashion label “Hood by Air”. Kanda’s art is known for being different, my first impression of it was something along the lines of “haunting”. There is, however,  a purpose and message behind Kanda’s frighting drawings. Kanda has stated in a Dazed 100 interview “The inside of our body is much more beautiful than the skin that coats it, yet we’re afraid of it. When you see blood or organs, you sense pain and danger. (Todd, 2016)” Kanda’s goal is to bring out the beauty in things that are not conventionally visually appealing.  In the same interview, he states “part of my goal is to present ‘disgusting’ things as something beautiful,(Todd, 2016)”. Although this type of art is not my usual cup of tea, I can understand Kanda’s motives and overall message. When I look at Kanda’s work I get a sense of monstrosity and beauty at the same time, which is something that is very rare. Another thing I like about Kanda’s work is the contrast between different drawings. In the two photos that I have showcased above, you can see a huge difference in the aura they give off. It’s like one represents euphoria, growth, and life, while the other represents pain, suffering, and death. One other thing I like about Kanda’s work is its uniqueness and bravery. In the world of social media, creators often follow trends and copy what others do; Kanda’s work stands out from the crowd, and that’s how it caught my eye. Now that I’ve seen Kanda’s art, I don’t know if I should be excited or scarred to listen to his music. 

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The Intricate World-Building Of Gibson Hazard

When it comes to directing music videos,  album trailers, and million-dollar advertisements, there is one person in the business whose work is in a league of its own. That director is Gibson Hazard, a creator that I have looked up to for years.  Before I dive into what makes his work so great let’s have a look at some of his work. 

 

The first thing that separates Hazard from nearly every other music video director in the game right now is his use of 3D modeling. Hazard is able to model precise objects, build landscapes and animate the world he has created using these objects. He is also able to seamlessly integrate elements of real footage and 3D modeling together. Many other directors are able to use these techniques, but none are able to combine all four at such a high level. Let’s break down each technique and analyze how Hazard is able to add his magic to them. 

 

First building precise objects. Building a simple 3D model with little detail on software such as Blender or Element 3D can take hours to do alone. Hazard takes this to the next level by adding every precise detail possible, including shadows, lighting, texture, glow, etc. An example is this is the jeep used in the Lil Uzi Vert music video “I just wanna rock”. 

 

If you look closely at the jeep you can see the nails on the back, patterns on the tire, and shading on the sides of the car. When the car is in motion in the video you can see the light bounce off of it and the shadows move off the car. 

Gibson Hazard is able to use these models to build a world that encompasses you when you watch his videos. In all of his videos, the background detail is always fully complete, giving you the feeling that you have actually entered the world that he has created. For example in the VMA’s video above, if you pause the video at any moment, and examine the background you will not be disappointed, whether that be in the carnival, the bridge, the subway or the city. 

Lastly when watching Hazard’s videos, a sense of motion is always felt. Gibson is able to build anticipation and excitement by leading you through the video with clever transitions. There is not one dull frame, as there is constant stimulation at every corner of your screen. That is what makes the video feel alive. This technique coupled with some of the best sound design in the industry makes for a jaw dropping video. Hazard adds to the feeling of motion by adding sounds that signal the animations. If you were to watch the VMA video above with your eyes closed you can still get a pretty good feel of what is going on in the video, and the added bonus is that the sounds stand out more (they’re so crisp). 

It’s so great to see Hazard being commissioned by huge brands and artists to do work for them, however, I feel like his name is still relatively unknown. I hope one day he is recognized as a great, and that he continues to build his legacy. 

 

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Community Guidelines & Comments – Week 12

Here are Astrometrical’s new community guidelines:

Thank you for visiting Astrometrical, on this site you are encouraged to broaden your tastes in art and contribute to the community by adding your thoughts to the collage. This site’s purpose is to inspire you as an individual and bring attention to those hard-working individuals who deserve it. Here are the following guidelines on how to best engage with the astrometrical community

 

Please Do:

Interact with others and voice your opinions on the blog and featured posts

Be respectful and patient with others on the site

Give constructive feedback on your experience on Astrometrical

 

Please don’t:

Use any form of hate speech, whether it be racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other form of discrimination

Post links  to your own pages to “self-promote” or any other forms of spam

Breach privacy of others on the site by posting personal information (doxing)

 
 

 

Part 2: Navigating Social Media Waters

Related to the idea of community guidelines is the social conduct of individuals online, specifically, in comment sections. This week I had the opportunity to read an article by Aubrey Hirsch (2022) where she describes the struggles she faces online as a female journalist. The article was truly shocking for me, as the whole time I was reading I could not shake the sinking feeling in my stomach. Hirsch described the misogyny, racism, and rudeness that she experiences every day simply for posting comics as a journalist. The examples she provided were truly vulgar and loathsome. However, there was one part of Hirsch’s article that was particularly horrifying for me to read, and that was when she talked about how the hate she receives online translates to attacks in the real world. Hirsch writes “Remind me to tell you the funny story about the time my internet stalker called my boyfriend’s cell phone. Remind me to tell you about the time I came home and my front door was unlocked and I spent 15 minutes standing in the rain trying to remember if I’d double-checked it before I went out “(2022). Hirsch also talks about a time when strangers came to her house and launched dinner plates at her. Personally, I know if I was faced with that kind of pressure and that level of threat on a daily basis, I would constantly be in a state of paranoia. 

The examples that Hirsch provided reminded me of some other examples of threats in the online world being pursued in real life. One that I had just seen recently was a case of swatting. For those who don’t know, swatting is when someone on the internet finds your address, and calls the local police saying that there is a severe crime (ex, hostage situation) occurring at your address. The swat team then arrives at your house and many times this situation arrives in disaster, as an innocent person is killed or injured. Adin Ross, a streamer that I used to watch was recently swatted. Since he was live at that time, you can see the fear in his eyes as he begs his viewers not to swat people. 

To someone who is not internet famous like myself, I am always in shock when I hear stories of individuals with malicious intent trying to harm someone online. Hirsch has done a wonderful job illustrating the importance of moderation and regulations against hate speech and reminding me of the pressures those who make their livelihood online face. Moving forward as a community, I think we should show more support for our favorite online creators and each do our part by reporting the threats and hate speech we see online. 

 

Hirsch, A. (2022, February 2). That’s How It Works When You’re a Woman on the Internet. 

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Transmedia Integration- Week 11

Creating a journey for a reader through multiple platforms and keeping them invested by continuously adding more layers to the original topic is the premise of Transmedia Integration. In Kevin Britteny Lauren’s blog (2013) they detail how the internationally famous media franchise Pokémon has withstood the test of time through Transmedia Integration. They quote Henry Jenkins’s breakdown of transmedia storytelling, “a transmedia text does not simply disperse information: it provides a set of roles and goals which readers can assume as they enact aspects of the story through their everyday life” (2013). 

The blog then describes how Pokémon has used transmedia integration through couple of key points. They state that Pokémon has made its content very accessible and that anyone can easily follow along. They also state how Pokémon engrosses viewers by surrounding them with different types of Pokémon content on different platforms and allows them to enact aspects of the story in everyday life. These three aspects, accessibility, storytelling, and real-life application make up the success story of Pokémon and had me thinking about how I could apply this to my own blog. 

The first idea that I thought of was branching onto Instagram and making an archive page. That was the original inspiration for this blog in the first place, so it made me happy to know that I’m able to come full circle. For those who do not know, an archive page is a showcase of aesthetics of all kinds, arranged in a collage type of format. The main difference between the archive page and my blog right now is that it is harder to write as much detail about the piece of art in the Instagram caption. My next idea is to also create art showcasing content on Tiktok. At first, I was a little stumped on how to do this as on Tiktok it is not as simple as finding a cool piece of work and clicking upload, there has to be more to the content for it to be successful on Tiktok. An idea that I then came up with is explaining the background of the artist and how the art was created in a more commentary style of video. I thought of this by thinking about one of my favorite Tiktok content creators known as songpsych. She gives breakdowns of songs, provides background for why a song was created, and teaches fun facts related to music. I think that many people may enjoy this blueprint of content geared toward art instead of music. Those are just two simple ways that I can get started with Transmedia Integration, after I take those first two steps, I hope to continue branching out to even more platforms to fully engage my viewers throughout their lives. 

 
Example using songpsych's video format

References:

Kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com. (2013). “Pokemon as transmedia storytelling“

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